Endless tread for automobile-wheels.



T. DOUGLAS. ENDLESS TREAD FO AUTOMOBILE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED Amma, 1912.

1,077,129, Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

@pi/ buzones 77 THEODOBE DOUGLAS, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENDLESS TBEAD FOB AUTOMOBILE-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Cet. 28, 1913.

Application led April 23, 1912. Serial No. 692,676.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I Tl-Inoooan DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Endless Treads for Automobile-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

The primary purpose of this invention is the provision of a trend attachment designed chiefly for the wheels of automobiles to carry the same over sandy places, snow covered surfaces and soft places in the road, said attachment being of an endless nature and capable of being readily placed 1n position or removed with facility when not required for immediate use to be stored in the machine as a part of the equipment.

The invention consists of a urality of shoes of peculiar formation an an endless chain having the shoes attached thereto, the whole being adapted to be fitted to the automobile wheel so as to materially increase the extent of tread surface, thereby preventing the wheel from sinking in sand, mud or snow.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the a )pended claims.

Re er1-ing to the drawing, formin a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a s1 e view of an automobile wheel provided with an endless tread attachment embodying the invention. Fi 2 is a cross section of the rim of the w ieel and the attachment. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the tread attachment, showin the same on a larger scale. Fi 4 is a etail view of one of the shoes. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of shoe.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description, and indicated in all the views o the drawing, by the same reference characters.

The device comprises a plurality of shoes each of like formation and an endless chain having the shoes attached thereto. The shoes may be formed in any manner, each consisting of a base 1 and lugs 2, the latter being spaced a art a distance depending upon the size o the tire for which the attachment is designed, it bein understood in this connection that the en less treads are provided in standard sizes to ada t them to the different sizes of automoble tires. The lugs 2 serve the dual pur ose of preventing lateral displacement o the attachment and also as convenient means for connecting the shoes to the endless chains. The lugs taper, their wider ends being adjacent the base 1. The outer faces of the lugs arc preferably straight, whereas their inner faces incline or curve slightly to conform to the outline of the tire in cross section. When the buse 1 of the shoe is broad it is provided with four lugs, two upon each side of a medial line. In the preferable construction the shoes are formed as a castin and may be light consistent with strengtli and durability. Two endless chains 3 are provided and are arranged so as to come upon opposite sides of the tire to which the attachment may be fitted. The endless chains may be of any construction and are connected to the lugs of the shoes by bolts, rivets or other fastening means.

The attachment may be folded into a `Small space so as to be conveniently carried lnon t e automobile as an accessory part o the equipment to be brought into use when required to carry the machine over a sandy place, a soft s ot in the road or over snow and slush. It 1s to be understood that the endless tread may be separated at any point in its length to admit of placing an end portion of ..ie tread in advance of the wheel so that movement of the machine may cause the wheel to ride upon the device when the ends may be brought together and coupled, this manner of application being substantially the same as practised in the ai plication of tire chains to automobile wheels. After the machine has cleared the sand, mud, snow or other soft spot in the road the tread attachment may be easily and quickly removed from the wheel and placed in the machine.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the conslrlictim and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appcrtains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when de- It ma be desirable to construct the base 1 and tie lugs separately thereby admit:

ting of the base being rep aced when worn as well as admittin of the base andlu s being formed of di erent material. In te construction illustrated in Fig. 5 the base 1 is separate from the lugs 2 and the latter may be 4secured tout-he base in any manner.

The base may .consist of metal, apiermch, wood or other material and the lugs may be formed as castings orconstructed in any manner, the same being secured to the base preferably by means of rivets 4.

The attachment may tit close to the tire of the wheel or may e loose, as indicated in Fi 1.

Eac of the base pieces is at and of such extent as to support the wheel and prevent its sinking into soft places in the surface. The lugs 2 are set in some distance from the front and rear edges of the base piece so that the links of t e connecting chain may obtain a bracing support on such ed c portions of the base pieces exterior to t e lugs to support the upper run of the attachment, as shown in Fii. 1 of the drawing.

Havin thus escribed the invention what is 'elaime as new, is

1. An endless tread attachment for-automobile and vehicle wheels, the saine coniprising a plurality of fiat shoes having lugs upon one side set in from the front and rear edges, and links 'connectin such shoes and pivoted to the lugs thereo to form an endless chain, the upper dportieri of the attachment being supporte by means of the links obtaining a bracing action against the front and rear edge portions of the shoes exterior to the lugs.

2. An endless tread attachment for automobile and vehicle wheels, the saine cornprising a plurality o1 flat shoes having lugs upon one side arranged at some distance from the front and rear edges of the shoes, said lugs having ta ered portions upon their inner sides to orin bracing connections and to provide a seat for receiving the tire of the wheel, and links pivotally connected with the lugs and forming endless chains, the upper portion of the attachment being supported bv a bracing action of the links lagainst the front and rear edge portions of the shoes exterior to the lugs.

In testimon whereof I aix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

THEODORE DOUGLAS.

Witnesses: v

H. L. BUTLER, J. F. COOPER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for Ave cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latent. Washington, D. 0. 

